Dubai: Rami Azzam took the overall honours despite finishing fourth behind race winner Sam Zian in the fourth and final round of the Sodi World Series Ramadan Challenge at Dubai Kartdrome on Monday.
Zian crossed the line more than seven seconds ahead of his nearest rivals Hussain Umid Ali and Mohammad Al Mutawa’a to record his first win of the series, while Azzam’s fourth place was enough to confirm the title.
“It is an honour to win the Ramadan Challenge, my first time to win this competition,” said Azzam, who won rounds one and two. “The fact that I managed to beat a very strong field of drivers, many of whom are champions in their own right, makes it very special.”
Maz Nawaz came from the back of the grid to finish fifth, making a claim for drive of the night, while Ali Al Mansouri, who had been a title contender coming into the final race, got stuck back in sixth. George Gibson, Anas Al Halabi, Nacho Girona and Marwan Al Hamoudi rounded off the top ten.
Arnaud Bouf won the master category on the night, with Carsten Winter second and Bruno de Champris third. Second place was enough for Winter to take home the 2014 Ramadan Challenge Master title.
For Azzam, the championship win earned him a fully paid race day programme in the UAE Rotax Max Championship with the Energy Kart Racing Team at the Kartdrome. Al Mutawa’a scooped a similar prize with the UAE Tony Kart outfit for being the best-placed Emirati driver after recording three podium finishes.
